Universalist Meeting House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Universalist Meeting House
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | SR 231, New Gloucester, Maine |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1839 |
| Architect | Cotton, Jeremiah |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 88000887 |
| Added to NRHP | June 23, 1988 |
The Universalist Meeting House is an old and important church building in New Gloucester, Maine. It's located on Maine State Route 231. Built way back in 1839, this building is a great example of a Greek Revival style church, which was popular a long time ago. Because it's so special, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. This means it's recognized as a historic landmark!
Discover the Meeting House
This historic building stands in a quiet, country part of New Gloucester, Maine. You can find it on the west side of State Route 231. It's a single-story building made of wood.
What it Looks Like
The Meeting House has a pointed roof, called a gabled roof. Its outside walls are covered with wooden boards known as clapboard siding. The building sits on a strong foundation made of granite.
Unlike many churches, this one does not have a tall tower. The corners of the building have flat, column-like decorations called pilasters. These go up to a decorative band, or entablature, that wraps around the whole building.
The front of the church has a triangular shape above the entrance, called a pediment. This part has fancy molded trim. The front also has two doors, with a window in the middle.
Inside the Church
When you go inside, each door leads to its own small entry area. From these areas, stairs go up to a balcony, called a gallery. There are also entrances to the side aisles of the main seating area, known as the nave.
The floor of the nave gently slopes downwards. It ends at a slightly raised area where the services were held. The wooden benches, or pews, inside the church are still the original ones from when it was built!
Its History
The church was built in 1839 for a group called the Universalist congregation. This group had started back in 1805. They sometimes had money troubles, but their church community grew at different times.
However, by the 1950s, fewer and fewer people were attending. In 1969, the local historical society bought the building. They now take care of this important piece of history.
See Also
